Improvement in machines for making baskets



S. H. WHEELER.

MACHINES FOR MAKING BASKETS. No.185QZ73. Patnted Dec. 12, 1376.

" UNITED s'raTns PATENT @rrfrou.

SHEPHERD H. WHEELER, OF PERU, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR MAKING BASKETS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 185,273, dated December 12, 1876; application filed November 16, 1875.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SHEPHERD H. WHEEL- ER, of the city of Peru, in the county of Miami and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Making Baskets, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, of which- Figure 1 is a side view of a device embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 shows a top view of the same.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in machinery for making stave baskets, by means of which the process is shortened and the expense of making baskets materially reduced.

The letters marked on the drawing denote the parts indicated by similar letters in the specification.

A represents the frame, but as ordinary mechanical skill will readily supply this part no particular description need be given here. B represents the basket-former. This former is mounted upon the shaft 0, in the frame A, so as to be readily revolved by suitable machinery. Upon this former the hoops that constitute the support of the interior of a stave basket are placed, usually by first forming the material into hoops on a separate former and then driving them onto the basketformer, in the manner that hoops are usually driven onto a tub or barrel; and the hoops that are applied to support the exterior of a stave basket are also driven on after being formed separately. But in my process I apply the material of which the inner hoops for the body of a stave-basket are made directly to the former B, and form the hoop upon it, by inserting one end of said material, after being reduced to the proper dimensions, under the projecting end of the lip D, and if more than one inner hoop is to be applied to the body of the basket, a similar lip should be placed at each point on the former B where a hoop is to be set. The hoop or hoops are then pressed against the former by means of the compressing-rollers E E or their equivalent. These rollers are pivoted to a movable head, F. This head is moved to and from the former B on suitable guides by means of the togglejointed levers G H. The united length of these levers is such that their pivoted bearings will come nearly in line when power is applied to press the hoops on the exterior of the basket; but when the inner hoops are set upon the former B, the compressing-rollers E E must come still closer to the former. To accomplish this the lever H is provided with the toe d. This toe engages with the stud to which the outer end of the lever H is loosely pivoted, which causes the head F to be thrown forward as the free end of the lever H is moved beyond a certain point, so that in pressing on the inner hoop the point of hearing for the outer end of the lever H is transferred from the heel to the toe 61. Thus the inner hoop may be pressed with as much force as the outer ones. When the ends of the inner hoop are inserted under the lip D sufficiently to hold them, and pressed to the former, as before stated, the former B is caused to make about one revolution, said hoops being guided to their places by means of the guides I I. Thus the hoops are formed and set at one operation, and their overlapping ends are then nailed, when the rollers are drawn back out of the way. The material for the body and bottom of the basket is then placed upon the former B, and pressed by Well-known means, which need not be described here. The compressing-rollers are again moved up to the former, as before, when the material of which the outer hoops are formed is applied by passing one end between the compressing rollers and the basket, and fastening it by means of nails driven through it and the staves of the basket, and clinched in the inner hoop. The former is again revolved, as before described, when the operator follows up and nails the hoop close in the rear of the compressing-rollers. Thus the hoops may be set very tight without exposing them to. that severe lateral andtorsional strain to which they are exposed when set in the usual way; nor is it necessary to steam the hoop when formed in this manner. L represents a circular cutter, pivoted to the head F, and serving to trim the projecting ends of the staves even with the top rims of the basket as the former revolves. Thus the hoop-forming and setting, nailing and trimming, are all done simultaneously and at a great saving of time and exdescribed my invention, what I i 2. In a basket-machine, the combination of the former B with sliding head F and circular cutter L, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

SHEPHERD H. WHEELER.

Witnesses:

IRA 0. WHEELER, RoscoE B.- WHEELER. 

